Amp servicing

[stompinonspiders]

Hi - newbie q here (I did do a search before asking!)

I've been running a 2 x Celestion Blue loaded AD15's with a Lehle system for about 6 years now with no hassles whatsoever. However, one of them has recently developed a periodic crackling sound at idle which I believe will be a cap or resistor issue. Valves are all new and high quality, so I'm pretty sure it will require more detailed work.

Do Orange have a service department (I've emailed to no avail) or can anyone recommend a decent amp tech in the Midlands? I'm based in Worcestershire but travel pretty extensively so if there's a good one outside the region then so be it, I'll travel to them!

Thanks in advance

Noor

[a.hun]

Hi - newbie q here (I did do a search before asking!)

I've been running a 2 x Celestion Blue loaded AD15's with a Lehle system for about 6 years now with no hassles whatsoever. However, one of them has recently developed a periodic crackling sound at idle which I believe will be a cap or resistor issue. Valves are all new and high quality, so I'm pretty sure it will require more detailed work.

Do Orange have a service department (I've emailed to no avail) or can anyone recommend a decent amp tech in the Midlands? I'm based in Worcestershire but travel pretty extensively so if there's a good one outside the region then so be it, I'll travel to them!

Thanks in advance

Noor

Hi Noor, and welcome!

New valves don't guarantee that it won't be a valve problem. Thing is that any faulty or noisy valves tend to show up in fairly early use. I'd actually suspect that before other components, especially since you have recently done a valve swap.

Try swapping out the preamp valves one at a time and seeing if replacing one sorts your noise issues. Wouldn't surprise me at all. (Hopefully you kept all your old working valves for spares! )
If it isn't a preamp valve than try swapping back the power valves as they can go noisy too.

Of course it could just possibly be a cap or resistor as you suggest.

I'd try phoning Orange rather than e-mailing - works way better. I'm sure they can offer advice and probably point you towards a tech in your part of the country.

Good luck then, and cool rig BTW!


Andy.

[stompinonspiders]

Thanks Andy for a quick response. I've just changed out all the valves (I do keep them as spares just in case!) but to no avail. I'll call Orange tomorrow but the rig is being cased up now for another gig tonight - yee hah!

Thanks again

Noor

BTW - thanks for the comment on the set up. I've seen some debate about Alnico speakers in Oranges on the forum. I personally think it's a heck of set up, but then my style is "roots and blues" so my main tone is clean to early break up. From my back to back tests I'd say the V30's are better for heavier tones though.

[a.hun]

Oh bummer. I thought (hoped!) that a valve might have been the simple solution. Not so then...

Well I hope the gig went okay anyway. I did a few gigs some years back with my on old Orange 120 when it was popping and crackling a bit due to blowing a whole series of small capacitors. Got that problem tracked down eventually - a microphonic choke putting out nasty voltage spikes. Hope your problem will be nice and easy for a tech to find and sort.

Those Alnico Celestions are great for the sort of lower gain stuff you are doing. Really full clear sounding and articulate with a great edge into cone breakup as you push them harder. Should be perfect in those 15watters. As you say there are better alternatives for higher gain stuff, but I wouldn't argue with Alnico Blues (or the 50W Golds) for a lot of great sounds. And yeah, those two small Orange combos of yours are going to sound really classy!


Andy.

[stompinonspiders]

A quick close down on this....

I phoned Orange and spoke to a tech who as well as suggesting power valve issues recommended that the earth to the chassis was checked.

As you know, I was confident that it wasn't a valve issue and hey presto when I removed the chassis the earth had come loose due to 6 years of mechanical vibration. I soldered the spade connector down, checked the rest over and all seems fine now after a gig and a jam session.

Hopefully that's put to bed and may be a worthwhile check for other Orange owners with similar symptoms.

[a.hun]

A quick close down on this....

I phoned Orange and spoke to a tech who as well as suggesting power valve issues recommended that the earth to the chassis was checked.

As you know, I was confident that it wasn't a valve issue and hey presto when I removed the chassis the earth had come loose due to 6 years of mechanical vibration. I soldered the spade connector down, checked the rest over and all seems fine now after a gig and a jam session.

Hopefully that's put to bed and may be a worthwhile check for other Orange owners with similar symptoms.

Thanks for getting back here with that info. Much appreciated!

Just adds to my intense dislike of those useless spade connectors. Needed soldered in the first place IMO. I especially HATE when they are used for speaker connections but frankly I don't see any place for them in a quality built amp. (Or to put it another way, an otherwise quality built amp. I think that use of spade connectors is the weakest point of Oranges build quality these days.)


Andy.

[stompinonspiders]

Interesting point Andy - when I opened both them up in fairness all the spade connectors on the boards were fine (I don't like them either but hey ho, at least they were tight) and in many cases the angle and arrangement of the connecting lead put positive pressure on the connection.

However, the chassis earth (on the AD15 at least) is a tag that is at approx 30 degree angle and the earth lead is attached in such a way that the joint is under tension. This one definitely needs soldering and both amps suffered from considerable play in that crucial connection.

It has made a hell of a difference in the amp that was most affected - the noise that I was suffering from was largely independent of volume and was a periodic static-like crackle. Not enough to cause an issue live but it gave me problems in a recent recording session. I guess the symptoms are logical enough when you consider the problem